Intracranial endoscopy devices include both flexible and rigid endoscopes. These devices typically have at least one channel through which a biopsy device or grabbing forcep device can be delivered. As a result, the combination of a fiberoptic endoscopic channel with a second channel for biopsy device necessitates a minimum diameter. Because of this requirement, endoscopy devices are limited in their applications. Specifically, some neurosurgeons prefer not to introduce a larger caliber device through the brain parenchyma merely to gain access to the ventricular cavity.
In addition, surgeons are occasionally reluctant to biopsy intraventricular mass lesions without direct visualization because of the risk of hemorrhage. Parenchymal lesions, by virtue of their adjacent tissue, offer some support to provide a tamponading effect against hemorrhage following biopsy. Intraventricular lesions, on the other hand, provide no such structural support as a barrier to postbiopsy hemorrhage.